Masters of Sex has finally reached its climax - cue the tears - because the show's been cancelled.

The Showtime series, which follows sex researchers William Masters and Virginia Johnson, has been axed after four seasons.

The broadcaster said in a statement: "Masters of Sex was a beautifully written and acted exploration of America's changing sexual mores.

"We are incredibly proud to have shared the story of Masters and Johnson for four critically acclaimed seasons. The series will remain available across our platforms where new viewers can discover it for years to come."

The show wrapped up its fourth season mid-November, and The Hollywood Reporter suggests that the producers and cast decided they had told the whole story and did not want to proceed with a fifth season.

Masters of Sex starred Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan as the two leads and earned 11 Emmy nominations over its run.

The last season averaged around 800,000 viewers in the US, though the numbers had dropped since the first season premiered back in 2013.

The show was created by Michelle Ashford and based on Thomas Maier's biography of the two sex researchers. It begins in the late 1950s, before working its way to the 1970s in season four as the pair research the science of sexuality.